The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has contributed more than 220 tons of dates, worth US$553,000, to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for distribution through its hot meal centres in Mogadishu, Somalia, Saudi Ambassador, Ghorm Said Malhan, at a ceremony in Nairobi on Tuesday .

Al-Shabab Islamic extremists in Somalia are routinely killing civilians in attacks on soft targets and have regained some territory in areas where a security vacuum emerged despite efforts by the new federal government to consolidate peace, the U.N. chief said in a report circulated Monday.

Piracy May Be Getting Worse, Not Better, according to The Maritime Executive. The Gulf of Guinea is fast replacing Somalia as the world's most dangerous place to sail. While the frequency of pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa has fallen to its lowest level since 2009, this is no time to celebrate, says analyst Tom Thompson, with two vessels and 60 crewmembers still held:

President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday reassured Somalia of Kenya’s commitment to the stabilization of the war torn country within the framework of the IGAD peace process and in accordance with the country’s Federal Constitution.

The chance of a censure Motion against Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) passing in Somalia’s parliament is getting slimmer each day.The author of the Motion told The Standard that he will “reconsider” it if his concerns are addressed.

Somalia Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon is calling for South African President Jacob Zuma to take urgent action to prevent more violence against the Somali business community in South Africa. The call follows deadly attacks the past week against foreign business owners in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.

The number of children killed, maimed, abused and recruited to fight in Somalia dropped by more than half in the first quarter of 2013 due to less fighting between Islamist al-Shabaab militants and government forces, the United Nations said on Monday.

Nairobi, March 4, 2013--Sunday's decision by an appellate court in Mogadishu to uphold the conviction of a freelance Somali journalist in connection with his interview of a reported rape victim prolongs a miscarriage of justice and is a direct assault on press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.